How OCUS Skill Qualification Works

You can only access assignments that match the skills granted on your profile.

Each skill request is reviewed by a team of professional OCUS photographers. A skill may be granted or declined at any time, based on the quality of the media provided.

You may request new skills or re-submit a skill whenever you want by adding new media to your profile.

If your skill was declined, it simply means that the current media does not yet meet the expected standards.

Common Reasons Why a Skill Is Declined

Across all skills, the most frequent issues include:

• Incorrect exposure (too dark or too bright)
• Poor white balance
• Lack of sharpness or motion blur
• Unnatural or excessive post-production
• Weak composition or point of view
• Missing mandatory requirements for that skill

Below are the specific expectations for each skill.

Food

Requirements

• Minimum 5 images
• Different meals

Common Issues

• Chaotic table composition
• Dirty plates or background
• Wrong angle that hides ingredients
• Over-editing or unnatural colors
• Lack of sharpness on the main dish

Real Estate / Architecture

Requirements

• Minimum 5 images
• At least 3 different rooms
• Wide-angle lens (recommended: 17mm)

Common Issues

• Images too dark or overexposed
• Incorrect white balance (yellow or blue color cast)
• Perspective issues (tilted lines, camera too high or too low)
• Overprocessed HDR
• Blurry images due to low shutter speed

Lifestyle

Requirements

• Minimum 5 images
• Different actions
• At least one model visible

Common Issues

• Forced or unnatural actions
• Faces not visible
• Excessive retouching (Instagram-style filters)
• Poor sharpness or motion blur

Portrait / Social / Reportage

Requirements

• Minimum 5 images
• Different people

Common Issues

• Poor background or light control
• Over-retouching
• Focus not on the subject’s eyes

Product

Requirements

• Minimum 5 images
• Different products
• One product per image
• Monochrome background

Common Issues

• Dirty or uneven background
• Shadows behind the product
• Product not clearly readable
• Over-editing
• Lack of sharpness

Fashion (Studio Only)

Requirements

• Minimum 5 images
• Different stylings
• Studio shots only
• Monochrome background

Common Issues

• Clothing not clearly visible
• Poor posing
• Lack of sharpness
• Exterior shoots (not accepted)

Can I Reapply for a Skill?

Yes. You may request a skill review again at any time.

To do so:

• Upload new and improved media to the platform
• Ensure the new images clearly show progress and improvement
• Re-submit the skill for review via your profile

⚠️ Submitting the same quality of images repeatedly without visible improvement will likely result in the skill being declined again.

If you experience issues uploading your media, please contact the support team.

Important Notes

• RAW files are not accepted. Only final, edited images in JPG format will be reviewed.
• Reviews are based on what is visible in the submitted media, not on what could be corrected in post-production.
• Do not send WeTransfer links, as they expire. If external sharing is required, use a drive link with open access.

Need More Help?

If you are unsure why your media was declined or how to improve it, please contact the Help Center. A member of the team can provide visual examples and technical guidance to help you improve your next submission.